1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fanciful, three-dimensional art objects, and more particularly to such objects which may be hollow on the inside so as to serve as a vase or container and which simulate the appearance of a particular object in realistic and yet fanciful fashion.
2. History of the Prior Art
There are a variety of different ways of forming three-dimensional art objects to be used as decorator items, as fanciful holders for various items or as vases for flowers and the like. Such objects assume many different forms and are often formed to simulate or lend the appearance of a particular object.
It is known to form fanciful objects of the type described above with a pattern of surface variations such as a scored pattern as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. D. 17,023 of Tappan and U.S. Pat. No. D. 17,171 of Hurlbut et al. It is also known to assemble such objects from individual parts, the joints of which when assembled form lines resembling wrinkles and the like as shown for example by U.S. Pat. No. 2,606,105 of Wells in which a fanciful representation of a shoe is formed by joining together various different solid pieces.
Objects fashioned in the manner of the above-described patents, while being somewhat pleasing and artful in their appearance, are limited in the extent to which the appearance thereof may be made highly fanciful or realistic. In particular such objects tend to take on the appearance of the basic material of which they are made. For example if the object is made of a moldable material such as plastic, ceramic and the like, the finished object has the appearance of these basic materials; which in fact only imitate or emulate the original and lack a definite sense of realism. Thus, where a replica of a lady's old fashioned shoe is principally made of ceramic, it looks like a ceramic imitation of a shoe and nothing more.
On the other hand use of materials of which the original object is made in producing replicas thereof often has serious drawbacks of its own. For example, if cloth or leather which are the principal elements of a lady's old fashioned shoe are used to make a replica thereof, the result may closely simulate the original but will certainly not be capable of holding water therein and of serving as a vase or other container of substance.
In the field of artful and fanciful objects, it is also known to form such objects using one material or group of materials to form a base or superstructure for the object and a second material which covers the base, as shown for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,486,705 of Walker. In such objects, however, the base usually serves only as a superstructure for the object and plays little or no role in the final appearance of the object, which appearance is typically dictated by the second material which completely covers the base or superstructure.
It is known in the case of certain objects such as dolls to score a portion of the object and then apply pieces of cloth or other covering thereto. However such measures are carried out merely to improve the overall appearance of the object which itself constitutes a mere attractive object and not a vase or similar object of moldable material intended to realistically simulate an actual object like a shoe. Such objects, which are totally different in their very nature from shoe vases and similar containers are void of any suggestion as to how to make a functional object look like something it is not.
Accordingly it would be advantageous to provide a new technique for forming artful or fanciful objects which provides for useful objects such as vases having a rather unique appearance in terms of realism, fancifulness or other factors. It would furthermore be advantageous to provide such an object in which the appearance is principally that of a covering added to certain portions of the surface of a base of superstructure which predominately comprises the object. It would still furthermore be advantageous to provide such an object having seams which are very realistic and give the appearance of having been machine sewn.